Don’t you just hate these horrible little bugs? Me too! Here’s my tips on how to get rid of fruit flies..

Fruit flies have to be one of the most annoying bugs I have come across and until I started researching them last summer I had all sorts of problems trying to get rid of them. Unfortunately I live near a very large orchard and so the problem is potentially much worse for me than you, but the principles are still the same no matter where you live.

Now I’m not one for killing any living creature, even those that only live for a few days. But fruit flies I’m afraid, are an exception. Killing them and disposing them as quickly as possible is truly the only solution and one that does not leave me with any sleepless nights!

After a few days of online investigation I declared war on these yucky insects and managed to rid my home of them once and for all! With my preventative measures in place, all I do now is have a couple of fruit fly traps in the kitchen, just in case 1 or 2 stray ones find there way in on the breeze. Here are my findings and recommendations:

Remove The Source

Before we talk about how to get rid of fruit flies and using a fruit fly trap, we first need to understand why they arrive in the first place and to stop them coming back again.

Fruit flies are attracted to moist, organic material, which could be anything from over ripe/rotting fruit and vegetables to damp dish cloths, floor cloths etc. This is their food source and their breeding ground, so the first action to take is to eliminate these areas. Anywhere you have food or liquid is a potential fruit fly hazard, but the main place is usually the kitchen area.

Here’s A Checklist Of Actions You Should Take:

• Keep fruit and vegetables completely covered and sealed. Once ripened they should be stored in the refrigerator.

• Make sure surfaces are clean and dry, especially around and under the sink – use a disinfectant. Check for any drips or leaks while you’re there.

• Wash dish cloths regularly or change them. Don’t let them stay moist.

• Don’t have exposed trash cans. Make sure it has a tight fitting lid which remains securely shut and empty your trash regularly.

• If you have a dishwasher, check it regularly for food debris collecting in the filters and inside the machine. Don’t store dishes in it for prolonged periods and keep the door closed.

• Clean under and around your refrigerator, stove and other appliances and furniture for hidden spills and dropped food.

• Flush your sinks, drains and garbage disposals with heavy duty drain cleaners. Do this once every few hours at first. Also partially plug the drain and fill the sink so the cleaners trickle down slowly and stay present in the pipes.

• Check any cupboards and pantries for exposed foods like potatoes, tomatoes or bags of grains. Any food source that might be over ripe or rotting.

• Remove any potted plants, especially herbs type plants outside or spray them with insecticide that is safe to use on houseplants and edibles.

Now that you’ve cleaned up your kitchen and other rooms in the home that are potential fruit fly breeding grounds, you need to eliminate other outdoor sources, to stop them returning.

• Keep trash cans as far away from the house as possible. Give them a clean once a month to prevent rotting food accumulating in the bottom.

• Same applies to any compost you may have. Keep it as far away as possible. Better still, stop throwing waste food onto it and keep it covered up.

• Use screens over your doors and windows and make sure there are no holes or tares in them. Look for and fill any cracks around doors and windows.

Conclusion

If you live near lots of plants, bushes, fruit trees etc. then fruit flies will inevitably be close by. The secret is to not let them be attracted to your home. You won’t be able to stop every single one, but you can stop them from breeding and infesting your home. The process for getting rid of them is pretty straightforward and easy, it’s just a matter of being thorough. Plus the one or two that do find their way in can be taken care of with your fruit fly trap.

Here’s a video of how to make your own, simple, fruit fly trap:

This type of home made method does work and you can try experimenting with different bait such as beer, wine, old fruit etc.

Let me know what you think and if you have any stories you would like to share with us. Drop your comments below.

Sarah

Don’t you just hate those horrible little fruit flies? Get rid of them quickly and inexpensively with a fruit fly trap.

I decided to create this little website because of my experience I had with these disgusting insects during the summer. I have since spent quite a lot of time researching them, how to get rid of them quickly with the best fruit fly traps and how to prevent them from returning.

Fruit flies are horrible little black bugs that can infest your kitchen in just a day or 2. Due to their size and number, they are difficult to kill and unless you find the source, can be very difficult to eradicate.

First off, here are some fruit fly facts:

There are over 500 known fruit fly species around the world. Yes you heard me right!
Fruit flies have red eyes, brown/black bodies and are approximately 3mm or 1/8th of an inch long including the wings. The males are slightly smaller than the females.

Their population increase significantly during the late summer months when they infest fruits during the harvest. This is when they find their way into our homes and our garbage areas.

The average life cycle of a fruit fly is 7 to 8 days (unless they fall into my fruit fly trap!). However, some species can live up to 30 days. In that time the female fruit fly can lay in excess of 500 eggs – approx 50 eggs a day.

Fruit flies sole existence is to eat and bread.

Fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of fermenting foods or other moist, organic materials, but they also will breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops and cleaning rags. All that is needed for development is a moist film of fermenting material.

After being born, the female fruit fly has the ability to mate within just 8 hours. They reproduce very quickly and easily. You can imagine how fast an infestation can occur.

Fruit fly or their larvae are commonly brought into the home inside fresh fruit and vegetables. They can also fly in through open doors, windows etc.

They are not only annoying; they also have the potential to contaminate food with bacteria and other disease-producing organisms.

On a positive note, fruit flies have done more for the study of genetics than any other creature.

OK, so now you understand what you’re up against. The question now is; how do you get rid of them?

I’ll come on to the best fruit fly trap in a second. First of all you need to understand that to completely eradicate fruit flies from your kitchen, you need to locate and destroy the source.

Look for areas where fruit and vegetables are stored outside the refrigerator. Check your garbage area, recycling bins, any areas where pet food may be kept, especially old bowls not fully cleaned out.

A breeding ground just needs a small amount of decaying organic matter that is moist, so that the larvae can survive.

Even moist cleaning cloths or mops stored under the sink or in a cupboard can be a potential breeding ground if there is any form of organic matter attached.

Once you’ve found the source and destroyed it, there are certain measures you can take to prevent the little horrors from infesting your kitchen again. They sound obvious, but remember it only takes a small amount of fruit or veg etc. to create a breeding ground.

* Clear sinks and plug holes from old food debris.

* Don’t leave dishrags in the sink. After use, wash them thoroughly with soap and hang them up to dry, especially overnight.

* Have a trash can that is covered by a lid.

* Ensure food waste is only placed in sealed trash cans and not in a waste paper bin or any exposed container.

* Keep your fruit covered over or in the fridge, especially if it is very warm in your kitchen, especially well ripened or overripe fruit.

* Wipe up crumbs and spills from your cupboards, work surfaces and floor.

* Remove trash outside as soon as possible.

* Clean under and around your dishwasher and stove.

* Get rid of mop water, clean the pail and the mop rag.

* Don’t store waste food for compost in the kitchen. Take it outside straight away and ensure your compost bin is as far away fro the house as possible.

* Put up mesh screens for your doors and windows.

These measures are fairly ’common sense’, although you may not have thought about 1 or 2 of them.

It’s not a 100% guaranteed method of preventing fruit flies infesting your home, but it certainly will reduce the chances a great deal.

Unfortunately fruit flies will appear, no matter what actions you’ve taken to prevent them. But as long as you’ve taken the precautions above, it should just be a case of catching the stray ones that do come in, before they get the chance to settle and make your home, theirs!

Fruit Fly Trap

A good fruit fly trap should act as your second line of defense and contain any strays that find their way in.

You can either make your own fruit fly trap or purchase one. Both should work fine, the only difference is if you would prefer a more decorative look to the trap, compared to a home made devise that is ugly looking and not pleasant to look at when full of dead or dying fruit flies.

I personally prefer a trap that looks a little nicer and one where you can’t see all the yucky flies once they’re caught. Not a good look when you have visitors.

I live in an area with lots of fruit trees nearby and always need to be aware of an infestation during the summer when the fruit is harvested.

Last year I bought 2 colored, glass fruit fly traps from Amazon.com and hang 1 up in the kitchen and 1 in the porch. They look nice and work really well.

My favorite bait at the moment is red wine but I’ve used white vinegar in the past which also worked great and banana skins are also effective.

I hope you found this article useful. If you have any experiences, tips or comments you’d like to share, please drop them below.

Warmest regards,

Sarah

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